Dynamic Changes in Pre-Service Language Teacher Well-Being in Practicum: An Ecological Approach

Abstract

Responding to calls for more complex dynamic systems theory (CDST)-oriented and ecological studies on teacher well-being, this study investigates the role of practicum in the well-being of pre-service English language teachers (PELTs) in a Turkish English-as-a-foreign-language context. Designed as a case study and grounded in CDST and ecological systems theory, it examines how well-being unfolded within the Turkish practicum setting. Data were collected from two PELTs through self-ratings at 5-min intervals over three teaching sessions, supplemented by semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. Findings underscore the dynamic nature of well-being within the practicum ecology: it fluctuated positively in response to student engagement, successful task completion, and clear communication, and negatively due to challenging tasks, comprehension difficulties, and time pressure. Moreover, analysis of systemic factors across micro, meso, exo, macro, and chrono levels revealed a range of ecological influences on well-being, including the ecologies of interactions, (mis)alignment, educational institutions, societal expectations, and teacher career trajectories. This study contributes to the growing but still limited research on ecological well-being from a CDST perspective by offering a context-sensitive account from a Turkish, non-WEIRD educational setting. The findings may further inform future comparative research examining how teacher well-being unfolds across diverse educational and cultural contexts.